Pharmaceutical Biology Department

Medicinal Plants & Marine Excursion course

(PHBL 731)

Report about: (Ceratonia siliqua Fabaceae)

By: Arwa Omar Hassan, 34-670, T-03
Latin name and family: Ceratonia siliqua Fabaceae
Common English names: Carob, St. john's bread
Arabic name: ‫خروب‬
Plant description:
Macroscopic and microscopic morphological features:
The carob tree grows as a sclerophyllous evergreen shrub or tree up to 10 m high, with a broad
semispherical crown and a thick trunk with brown rough bark and sturdy branches. Leaves are
10-20 cm long, alternate, pinnate, with or without a terminal leaflet. Leaflets are 3-7 cm long,
ovate to elliptic, in 4-10 normally opposite pairs, coriaceous, dark green and shiny above, pale
green beneath and finely veined with margins slightly ondulate, and tiny stipules. The leaves are
sclerophyllous and have a very thick single-layered upper epidermis, the cells of which contain
phenolic compounds in the large vacuoles, and stomata are present only in the lower epidermis
and arranged in clusters . Carob does not shed its leaves in the autumn but only in July every
second year, and it only partially renews leaves in spring (April and May).The carob is a
dioecious species with some hermaphroditic forms; thus male, female and hermaphrodite
flowers are generally borne on different trees. Unisexual and bisexual flowers are rare in the
inflorescence. The flowers are initially bisexual, but usually one sex is suppressed during late
development of functionally male or female flowers.[3]
Large fragments of resin showing lateral striations observed, and Prisms of calcium oxalate.[4]
Geographical distribution:
Its original habitats are the western parts of Asia, but after its domestication, it spread to all
Mediterranean basin and then to the western shores of the Americas, South Africa and
southern regions of Australia[1]

Photos of the plant in its geographical site

Active constituents:
1-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, catechin[1]
2- carotenoid, from leaves, tetraterpenoids, are organic pigments[1]

3-phenloic compounds for example gallic acid, any part of plant, [2]

Methods of isolation:

1- Dried powder of the plant (part not indicated) was soaked in methanol and the suspension
was centrifuged, filtered and tested for antibacterial and antifungal activities.[1]
2- Ethanol extract of dry pods was tested for antioxidant activity (BHA, highly active) and
analyzed for polyphenols and carotenoids. 80 % Aqueous methanol extract was prepared from
pods and tested for antioxidant activity and analyzed by reverse phase HPLC.67 Immature pods
were extracted (without seeds) with water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, petroleum ether and
hexane.[1]
3- HPLC-separation and Identification of Phenolic Compounds Phenolic compounds were
determined by HPLC according to the method of[35]. As follow: 5 g of sample were mixed with
methanol and centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 10 min and the supernatant was filtered through a
0.2 µm Millipore membrane filter then 1-3 ml was collected in a vial for injection into HPLC
Hewllet Packared (series 1050) equipped with autosampliing injection, solvent degasser,
ultraviolet (UV) detector set at 280 nm and quarter HP pump (series 1050). The column
temperature was maintained at 35℃. Gradient separation was carried out with methanol and
acetonitrile as a mobile phase at flow rate of 1 ml/min. phenolic acid standard from sigma Co.
were dissolved in a mobile phase and injected into HPLC. Retention time and peak area were
used to calculation of phenolic compounds concentration by the data analysis of Hewllet
Packared software.[2]

Medicinal uses:

 Gastroprotection and other digestive system related activities Pods were extracted with 70 %
methanol/water and extract was tested against HCl-ethanol induced gastric ulcer and found
moderately active, compared with other plants used in this study.Aqueous extract of pods was
tested for antioxidant activity (DPPH) and against ethanol-induced oxidative gastric stress
(lipoperoxidation and hydrogen peroxide increase) in rats and found active. Aqueous extract of
pods was tested against dextran sulfate sodiuminduced sub-acute experimental ulcerative colitis
in adult Wistar rats. Results were positive and authors attributes this to phenolic compounds in
Carob. Aqueous extract of pods was prepared, analyzed (RP-HPLC) for tannins and dietary fiber,
total sugar and total phenolics content. It was also tested against small intestinal motility in rats
and jejunal permeability in mice, and found active in both tests.Soluble galactomannans were
water extracted from Carob seeds, and formulated to treat gastric reflux of infants. Results were
positive after three days treatment.
Ethanol extract of dry pods was tested for antioxidant activity (BHA, highly active) and analyzed
for polyphenols and carotenoids.80 % Aqueous methanol extract was prepared from pods.
Extracts were tested for antioxidant activity (ABTS), analyzed for total phenolic content and
tested in vitro and in vivo (rats) for cerebral and myocardial lipid peroxidation. Polar extracts
were more active than non-polar ones.[1]
The data revealed that the phenolic compounds of the carob powder consisted of 11
compounds. Phrogallol, catechol, chlorogenic, and protocatechuic recorded the highest values,
while coumarin, cinnamic, ferulic, gallic acid, and vanillic recorded the least values of the
phenolic compounds. The data are in agreement with(40, 41 and 42). Both chlorogenic acid and
caffeic acid are antioxidants and inhibit the formation of mutagenic and carcinogenic N-nitroso
compounds in vitro as reported by[42, 43]. Moreover, some phenolic acids (Caffeic acid, ferulic
acid, gallic acid, and protocatechinic acid contribute against various types of cancer such as
breast, lung and gastric cancer as reported by(44, 45, 46, 1, and 7).[2]
Ethanolic and acetone extracts were tested for antibacterial activity against P. atrosepticum in
potato soft rot. Acetone extract was more active.Methanolic extract of leaves found to be active
against Listeria monocytogenes. HPLC analysis of extract yielded seven compounds with
antibacterial activity, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate . Dichloromethane-methanol (1:1,
v/v) extract of dried pods was tested against 14 types of bacteria and fungi. Some compounds
isolated from the extract of C. siliqua . Some compounds isolated from C. siliqua by HPLC. It was
found highly active against 11 of them, in concentrations of 1000 and 500 g/ml. Chloroform
and hydroalcoholic (no ratio indicated) extracts of dry leaves were prepared and found active
against 15 species of bacteria and fungi, including 3 species of C. albicans.[1]
-Carob is herbal supplement, found in market in form of powder, chips, syrup, extract, and
dietary pills
Clinical trials:
Carob is studied in a clinical trial combined with to measure their effect on diarrhea [5]

Folk medicine:
Plant used in folk medicine all across the Mediterranean region(south Europe, north Africa)
Egypt: used for diarrhea and prepared by Infusion. Greco-Arab use it for diabetes, herpes, lip
sores,and prepared by Leaf decoction. India: used for antiobesity. Iran: used for menorrhagia,
Patient should sit in a container of a decoction of several plants. Including Carob. Iraq: used for
Abdominal pain, diarrhea , patients eat ripe fruit. Italy: used as animal food and emollient,
prepared by decoction of fruits or dry fruits used. Jordan: used as an antidiabetic, and for
cough, prepared by Leaves decoction, or Hot/cold infusion of fruits, Lebanon: used as
sweetener, medicinal , prepared by molasses of ripe fruits. Morocco: used for diarrhea, fish
killer, kills intestinal parasites, Relief of skin, digestive system, nervous system, prepared from
fruit, bark, leaves, or fruits/leaves decoction. Spain: used as chocolate, coffee substitute, olive
preservative, prepared from ripe fruits, and leaves. Turkey: used as diuretic, purgative, prepared
from Fresh pods.[1]
Side effects:

 Carob can alter blood glucose levels and cholesterol, aslo has antibacterial activity[1],
may produce side effects, in pregnant women, or in patients with anemia, diabetes,
hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol),if known allergies to members of the Fabaceae family,
peanuts, or other nuts.
 In patients with renal failure, ingestion of locust bean gum showed laxative effects,
decreased high blood pressure, and caused a fall in serum urea, creatinine, and
phosphorus.

Contraindications:
For lack of scientific data carob should be avoided in pregnancy and lactation

References:

Journals:

1- ab, Abdullatif. (2017). CAROB (Ceratonia siliqua): HEALTH, MEDICINE AND CHEMISTRY.
European Chemical Bulletin. 2017. 456-469. 10.17628/ecb.2017.6.456-469.
2- Youssef, M. K., El-Manfaloty, M. M., & Ali, H. M. (n.d.). Assessment of Proximate
Chemical Composition, Nutritional Status, Fatty Acid Composition and Phenolic
Compounds of Carob (Ceratonia Siliqua L.). Retrieved from
http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.fph.20130306.06.html

Websites:
3- Carob tree Ceratonia siliqua L. - Bioversity International. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://bioversityinternational.org/uploads/tx_news/Carob_tree_Ceratonia_siliqua_L._3
47.pdf
4- Ceratonia siliqua (seed pod). (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.botanicalauthentication.org/index.php/Ceratonia_siliqua_(seed_pod)
5- Influence of Carob and Probiotics on Acute Diarrhea in ... (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01501305